Dream Tara

Back in December I wanted to pursue lucid dreaming. It is something I had considered before, because it is just so cool – I find that exploring consciousness and going inside and developing the mind to be the ultimate adventure. And it also happens that Tibetan Buddhism has a Dream Yoga practice, which I found fascinating. Could I manifest lucid dreaming and go on to practice Tibetan Dream Yoga? I wanted to try, and one of the first steps was to write in a dream journal.

I got an idea to paint some dreams I thought might translate well to the canvas, and WAAY back in February, I had a dream that blew me away. I wrote it down in my journal, and this is what it says.

Feb. 15, 2016

I was watching a music documentary about this woman who joined the band The Police back in the 80s for one album. I think Mom recommended the documentary for me to watch, which was weird because I wasn’t really all that into them – appreciated their hits on the radio, but that was it.

The video showed how the band members revered this woman. Sting talked about how he felt when he’d hear her spiritual lyrics – she was like a wise sage in her songs.

The documentary showed a photo shoot for the album cover and this woman was seated and bathed with soft, beautiful white light. She sat with the guys in the band and they lovingly, with great reverence and tenderness, framed her face with their hands for the photos. (I know that The Police consisted of three members, but for my painting, I took artistic license to show two sets of hands instead of three.)

She was about the same age as they were back in the 1980s – in her twenties or early 30s. In my dream she was Caucasian, blonde and stunningly beautiful. I wanted someone with more character for my real painting though. A wise woman, not quite fully represented as realist human. What do I mean by that? I’ll show you after this last progress shot:

Notice her eyes. Then look at any of the Tibetan Buddhist stupas or paintings with the eyes. Here is an example from Boudhanath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal:

I used this style of eyes for my wisdom Goddess and then the perfectly arched eyebrows, third-eye bindi, straight nose bridge, and small nose from classical sculptures of Quan Yin or Green Tara sculptures. I was inspired by this statue, which informed my Green Tara painting:

Her eyes have the stylized shape of the Vajrayana branch of Buddhism. Notice the nose and eyebrow shape that influenced my current painting.

OK back to the dream! Finally, the part of the documentary came to the part where the music started. I was so curious as I watched as a sort of audience member, curious as to what this Wise Woman would sing about. What were her teachings to song that the band members revered so much? What wisdom would she depart? But as the music started, the DVD ended and I had to switch it to Disc 2. But the music never continued and I could not hear what she taught. Of course, right?

Lastly, I chose to make her older than 20s or 30s as she was in my dream. She is our elder, wise and knowing. So I put some wrinkling around her eyes and the corners of the mouth. Still, she’s gorgeous, yes? I tried to convey some grey hairs, perhaps as the lighter blue streaks. And in the painting, I’ve given her the Green Tara long opulent earrings.